Over the past week I've been working on the summer scarf from the book Puur Haken (click here). It's a very nice pattern and once you've done a few rows the crocheting almost goes by itself.I already posted a picture on Facebook earlier this week, and now someone asked me what yarn I'm using. It's Puntino by Lana Grossa (color number 42) and a crochet hook size 3mm. I've purchased a lighter colour for the edging but I'm not yet sure if I'll use that. Maybe I'll stick to one colour.

Today is the anniversary of Knottenwol in Delft. And like every year Knottenwol publishes a lovely agenda, full of cute crochet and knitting patterns, ideas and tips. The agenda is available as from today. You can buy it in the Knottenwol shop, but also here in the webshop of Knottenwol. Because today there is a party at Knottenwol, many creative people will visit the shop. Also people that have contributed to that fun agenda. I'm going to the party with Maaike from the book Puur Haken. We will be there as from half past one. If you're around, will you drop by? Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

Dear followers and all others who read along. The past few days I've read along with all of your comments here on my blog, on facebook, but also through all the emails I've received. I expected that this would be a giveaway where you would respond massively to (and you are so right because it is a wonderful book!) but I did not expect so many incredibly sweet comments to my decision to give this project to Maaike some time ago. Why I did not expect it? Because to me it was just a normal thing to do. Because I think you should help each other wherever you can without expecting anything in return. I've also always tried to keep this in mind while blogging. Of course I pay attention to some larger shops. To major blogs and websites. But I also love - and sometimes I even prefer - to blog about small shops and creative people who have just started blogging. For people who are working for something very passionately who might be helped a little bit by my blogging about them.Some of your comments were very moving. I would like to quote a few, they were so incredibly sweet, but if I would then this blog post would be too long. But believe me, I'm going to print out and save some of them. Now about the winners. A number of people took part in this giveaway for someone else. For a mother, a sister or a grandmother. And I think it really fits this giveaway if I choose winners who entered this giveaway for someone else. So from these responses I chose the following winners:

Rita Loman-Dorenbos who wants to give the book to her daughter

Renske Brunsman who also wants to give the book to her daughter

Sandra who is working on a large crochet project with her grandmother. She wants to share this book with her grandmother.

Annie who want to share this book with the women - between 75 and 94 years (!) - from her crochet club

Astrid who wants to give the book to her sister

Dear ladies, congratulations! Could you please email me your address? I'll make sure the book is coming to you. For anyone who has not won: thank you for sharing! And I hope more people will do what I did and what the ladies above will do with this book: pay it forward! It makes you happy, really it does.* This giveaway has ended. The book is available here.*

When I was on holiday in France last year I walked past a very nice yarn shop. And of course I couldn't walk inside without buying something :-) so I bought a few balls of Katia Cotton Cord (go here for more info on the website of Katia). I thought it was amazing yarn. For this yarn you use crochet hook 8 (US size 11) and it's a very nice yarn to use if you want to make a rug. You can call it cord rather than yarn. I have so say, it is not a cheap yarn, but at the moment it is on offer at Wolplein (klik hier), so if you want to try it, now is the time. I made the bag on the picture above from it. I used five balls Katia Cotton Cord and attached this handle to it. I've written down the pattern, it is available here. I hope you have a wonderful week, and don't forget to participate in the giveaway (see below).

I think it was about one and a half year ago when I had an idea for a crochet book. For some time, I was in touch with book pubisher Tirion Creatief (they sometimes sponsor the book giveaways on my blog) and I decided to take the plunge and email them. Pretty soon they contacted me and asked if I wanted to come over to talk about it. Of course! I went over to their office and we had a very nice conversation. I went home with a head full of ideas. But once I was home, somehow I was totally overwhelmed. For various reasons I was in a hectic period of my life, and to cut a long story short: I did not know how to manage it all. I thought this idea and this book would give me new energy, but that didn't happen. How was I supposed to write a book when I lacked even the energy for just normal things?For this book idea I had made a list of bloggers that I wanted to work with. One of them was Maaike. I had known Maaike from her blog Crejjtion for some time now. I was (and still am) a big fan of her blog and everything she does. I decided to send her an email because I had come to the conclusion that I could not write this book. And I really wanted to pass on this opportunity to someone else. I've had some great opportunities in my life, thanks to other people that were willing to give me a hand, so whereever I can I try to do the same. I knew that Maaike wanted to make more out of Crejjtion, so to me she was the right person to take over this projectIt was pretty exciting, because what would Maaike say? She was in the middle of her move from Canada to The Netherlands so this wasn't at all the right time. And what would the publisher do if I suddenly brought someone else with me? Luckily, Maaike was very excited and I made a new appointment with the book publisher. Maaike and I were both very excited but a bit scared as well. What if it would not work? What if the publisher wasn't happy that I brought in someone else and decided to call the whole thing off? But they had done a little research and just like me they were super excited. The decision was clear: Maaike was going to make the book. Over time, the idea that I had faded away, and Maaike made her own book of it. And fortunately! It came out beautifully. Lovely and cute crochet projects, all made ​​with pure natural materials. The projects in this book are very diverse. There are large and small projects, but my favorite is the summer scarf. Or the egg hats? I would say, browse through the book in the bookstore. I'm sure you want a copy. If it is not for the beautiful crochet projects, then it is because of the wonderful designs. Maaike, congratulations on this wonderful book! I was very happy at the time that you took over this huge project, and now I see what you have made ​​of it, I am even happier. All the best with everything that's about to happen!Do you want to win a copy of this book? I'm giving away five copies. You can respond here or on Facebook. The winners will be announced on Tuesday as here on my blog.* This giveaway has ended. Go here f you want to purchase this book.*

Some time ago somebody asked me if I had the crochet pattern of Kikker & Eend. I posted the question on Twitter and Esther immediately contacted me. She had the pattern on paper, it was published in the magazine Ouders van Nu soms time ago. The magazine now gave permission to post the pattern online, so go to the blog of Esther to see it.

Isn't this a supercute blanket? I found the pattern in the Etsy-shop of Amy named Little Doolally. Click here to look around in her shop, because it is filled with supercute patterns. Amy has a blog as well, if you click here you end up there. This blanket was made with Drops Paris, which is one of my favourite brands (Phildar is the other one). Do you want to make this blanket? Good news! Amy is willing to give away a pattern to one of my followers. Do you want to win? Then leave a comment below. I'll announce the winner tomorrow evening on Facebook, but because not everyone has facebook I'll mention the winner to this blog post tomorrow evening (Monday). Good luck!

I don't make granny squares very often, but everytime I'm working on it it makes me so happy. And maybe that's because it's so easy. I'm already able to make squares without watching. I've started on a blanket right now, and I thought it would be good idea to make a bigger blanket. Now that I can't get enough of the squares... :-) I'm making this blanket with Phildar Coton 4, a really lovely yarn that's very soft. I'm using a crochet hook size 3mm. By the way, I've noticed that I'm posting stuff on my facebook-page more often. It's so easy and quick, and a blog post requires a piece of text, and I just don't always have the time for that (unfortunately). So if you like following me, like my facebook-page (click here). Have a lovely evening!

Since last Friday I'm having a new job (Yay! :-)). I used to go to work by bycicle, but that's not possible anymore because of the distance. So now I have to travel by train and underground. Somebody advised me to make a separate wallet for my public transport card so I don't have to get my wallet from my bag every time I have to check in or out. That was a fun thing to do and I immediately knew how I wanted it to be. By making all these cute little hedgehogs I (re)discovered the bobble stitch, and it seemed like a cute method to use for this project. You can see the result above and if you scroll down you see a close-up of the bobble stitch. The pattern is very simple, the English version (US terms) is below the Dutch one. I used Phildar Coton 4 (colours Rouge 0084 and Berlingot 0076) and a crochet hook size 4mm for it. Have fun!

Pattern (US terms)Please note: this wallet is made in one step, so it doesn't have two halves.1. Chain 23, turn.2. 1 single crochet in each chain, so 22 single crochet in total..3. Do one more single crochet in the 22nd chain.4. Continue on the other side of the chain. Do 22 single crochet there as well, and do 1 extra single crochet in the last chain. You now have 44 single crochet around.5. 1 single crochet in each stitch around (44 in total).6. Change colour.7. 1 single crochet, 1 bobble. Repeat around.This is how you make a bobble: in the next single crochet you do 1 double crochet, 1 trebble crochet, 1 double crochet. Skip the last step of each stitch! If you do so, you have 4 loops on your needle after the last stitch. Yarn around needle, and pull the yarn through the 4 loops on your needle. Now you've made a bobble. By the way, there are more ways to crochet a bobble, this is just one of them.8. Change colour. 9. 1 single crochet in each stitch around (44 in total).10. 1 single crochet, 1 bobble. Repeat around.11. 1 single crochet in each stitch around (44 in total).12. Change colour.13. Repeat rows 7-12.14. 1 single crochet in each stitch around (44 in total).15. 1 single crochet in each stitch around (44 in total).Fasten off. You can use fabric and a zipper for the inside, but you can use small buttons as a closure as well.